In the past a plurality of different types of germination and seedling promoting units have been proposed, in which one or another type or combination of peat is utilized as a moisture absorbing mass. In some cases the peat is compressed to form a small disc later receptive of the seeds and is normally surrounded by a confining cover, such as of a sheet material of plastic or in the shape of a netting. As the compressed peat is moistened it expands up to the limits as set by the confining cover, and the germination and start up of the seedling takes place in the moistened peat body. Frequently, the peat discs with the seeds are spread out over the final planting site prior to their activation by being moistened, but in certain instances it is preferred to let the germination and start up of the seedling to take place indoors, such as in a greehouse or in some other sheltered place, and the seedlings are planted later at the growth locality.
In the first mentioned case, i.e. when the germination and start up of the seedlings takes place at the final planting site, there are reasons for spreading out the peat discs with their seeds only during certain predetermined periods of the year, in order to ensure as advantageous moistening and climate conditions as possible, but in such cases certain problems may arise, such as attacks of rodents on the ungerminated seeds.
In the second case, i.e. when the germination and start up of the seedlings takes place at a sheltered place, the just mentioned limitations and problems are circumvented, but there still remains a drawback which is common to both of the cases, viz. that the confining covering around the peat disc has an adverse effect on the root system of the seedling and may cause a root twisting or in some cases a root strangulation.